JP3176671B2 - Electric curved endoscope device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in an electric bending type endoscope apparatus in which a bending portion of an endoscope is electrically driven.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, by inserting an elongated insertion portion into a body cavity, it is possible to observe an organ in the body cavity, and if necessary,
2. Description of the Related Art An endoscope capable of performing various medical treatments using a treatment tool inserted into a treatment tool channel is widely used.

[0003] Boilers, gas turbine engines,
2. Description of the Related Art Industrial endoscopes are widely used for observing and inspecting internal scratches and corrosion of pipes of chemical plants and the bodies of automobile engines and the like.

Such an endoscope generally has a mechanism for bending a bending portion on the distal end side, and is provided with an electric driving means such as a motor for driving the bending mechanism.
Such an electric bending endoscope constitutes an electric bending endoscope apparatus in combination with an endoscope, a bending control device for controlling the bending of the endoscope, a light source device, and the like, ,It is used.

The electric bending type endoscope apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos.
As shown in JP-A-8-78635, JP-B-63-59329 and JP-A-58-69523,
There is disclosed a bending control apparatus having a control means for controlling a bending speed by an operation time, an operation amount, an operation force amount, and the like of a bending operation switch.

Further, in the device described in Japanese Patent Application No. 62-25879, a bending section is operated by a switch provided in an endoscope operation section. The switch is arranged on the thumb side of the gripping hand, with the side close to the thumb curved downward and the far side curved upward.

[0007] The endoscope operating section is located in front of the operator,
In many cases, the insertion part is held vertically below, and when gripped in this way, the upper, lower, right, and left sides of the switch correspond to the upper, lower, right, and left sides of the motor. Was thought.

[0008]

However, in consideration of the operation technique of the endoscope, the upper curve is overwhelmingly often used. In the device described in Japanese Patent Application No. 62-25879, in the case of bending upward, the thumb must be moved in the direction in which the thumb is extended. It is difficult to move the thumb in the direction of extending the thumb ergonomically, and if this operation is used frequently, the fatigue of the operator increases, and there is room for improvement.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electric bending type endoscope apparatus which can easily perform a bending operation in consideration of ergonomics.

[0010]

According to the electric bending type endoscope apparatus of the present invention, an insertion portion which can be inserted into a subject is provided with a bending portion which can be bent in a plurality of bending directions. An endoscope having an operation unit connected to the endoscope, a monitor for displaying an image of the endoscope, a bending driving unit for bending the bending portion, and a device for bending the bending portion in a plurality of bending directions. And a bending instruction input means for giving a bending instruction to the bending driving means, wherein the bending instruction input means is disposed on the operation unit.
Is, consists of four switches arranged in a cross shape configured such that it gives the instruction by the endoscope operator respective surfaces of these four switches is pressed, the insertion portion
When the operation unit is gripped with the
By pressing the lower switch of the three switches, the bending portion bends and presses the upper switch so that the image displayed on the monitor is bent upward.
This allows the image displayed on the monitor to
It is characterized in that the bending portion performs a bending operation so as to be bent .

[0011]

In the above construction, the insertion portion is directed vertically downward.
When the operation unit is gripped,
By pressing the lower switch, the monitor
The curved portion is curved so as to be curved upward in the displayed image.
By operating the curve, pressing the upper switch, the
The front of the image displayed on the monitor is curved downward.
The bending portion bends.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 relate to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing the arrangement and use of a bending switch in an endoscope operation unit, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the bending operation switch, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram of the electric bending endoscope apparatus, and FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram of the electric bending endoscope apparatus.

The electric bending type endoscope apparatus 1 shown in FIG.
An electronic powered bending endoscope 2 having a solid-state imaging device such as a CD built therein, a light source device 3 for supplying illumination light to the electronic powered bending endoscope 2, and a solid-state imaging device described later A video processor (hereinafter abbreviated as VP) 4 which drives and converts an image signal from the solid-state image sensor into a video signal;
It comprises a monitor 5 for projecting a video signal from the VP 4 and a bending motor control device 6 for controlling the bending of a bending section 10 of the electronic electric bending endoscope 2 which will be described later.

The electronically-powered bending endoscope 2 is provided with a large-diameter operation section 7 and an elongated insertion section 8 connected to the operation section 7 and formed in an elongated shape so as to be insertable into a subject. The flexible tube section 9, the bending section 10, and the distal end configuration section 11 are connected to the insertion section 8 in this order from the operation section 7. The bending portion 10 is provided with a bending tube (not shown) that is configured to connect a plurality of bending pieces and bendable in the vertical and horizontal directions.

The side surface of the operation section 7 is a grip section 20 for the operator to grip and support the endoscope when inserting / removing the endoscope or performing a bending operation. The operation unit 7
A universal cord 12 that bifurcates on the way is connected from one side upper part. At one end of the universal cord 12, a motor control device connector 13 is detachably connected to the bending motor control device 6, and at the other end, it is detachably connected to the light source device 3. Light guide connectors 14 are provided. A video control cord 15 extends from the side of the light guide connector 14, and an end of the video control cord 15 has a video processor (VP) detachably connected to the VP4. A connector 16 is provided.

The operation unit 7 includes an air / water supply button 17 for cleaning an observation window (not shown) provided on the front surface of the distal end component unit 11 and a suction button 18 for aspirating body fluids and the like. Is provided. Air supply / water supply button 1
By operating 7, air or water is supplied,
By operating the suction button 18, suction is performed from a suction channel (treatment instrument insertion channel) (not shown) provided in the electronic electric bending endoscope 2.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the operation section 7 is provided with a bending operation switch section 19 as bending instruction input means. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the bending operation switch 19 is
Is composed of four switches: an upper bending switch U, a lower bending switch D, a left bending switch L, and a right bending switch R so that an instruction to bend the upper, lower, left, and right directions in four directions can be issued. Have been.

The bending operation switch section 19 is located near the thumb of the operator's hand when the operator grips the holding section 20 held by the operator. It is arranged so that the operation of can be performed.

Here, in general, the endoscope often performs various operations such as insertion / removal or bending operation with the operation unit 7 facing upward and the operator's hand side and the insertion unit 8 facing downward. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, when the insertion section 8 is directed vertically downward, the bending operation switch section 19 is arranged on the upper side of the operation section 7 and on the surface facing the operator. I have.

As shown in FIG. 1, the four switches U, D, L, and R of the bending operation switch section 19 have an upper bending switch U closer to the gripper 20 and a lower switch farther from the gripper 20. The bending switch D and the universal cord 12 projecting side are located on the left bending switch L, and the opposite side is located on the right bending switch R.

The structure of the bending operation switch section 19 is shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows a cross section of only one of the four switches. The four switches are
Since they have the same structure, other details are omitted.

The surface of the bending operation switch section 19 is covered with a cover 41 made of a soft elastomer.
The cover 41 includes a convex portion 41 having the center of each switch as an apex.
a and integrally covers the four switches. The cover 41 is water-tightly bonded to the casing 42 of the operation unit 7. Convex part 41a of cover 41
A column-shaped body 41b is provided projecting below and is accommodated in a through-hole 42a provided in the casing 42. Below the casing 42, a substrate 44 on which an electric wiring pattern is arranged is fixed. On the substrate 44, a switch contact 45a and a switch contact 45b are formed in a through-hole pattern at a distance from each other.

A leaf spring 46 having a circular convex portion 46a at the center is disposed between the columnar body 41b and the substrate 44. One end of the leaf spring 46 is connected to the switch contact 45.
While the contact b contacts, the switch contact 45a is located directly below (in the figure) the protrusion 46a of the leaf spring 46.
The switch contacts 45a and 45b are connected to the signal line 4
7 and 47 are connected, and the signal lines 47 and 47 are connected to the bending motor control device 6 via the universal cable 12.

When the convex portion 41a of the cover 41 is pressed, the columnar body 41b presses the leaf spring 46, and the convex portion 46a of the leaf spring 46 is deformed.
5b.

The bending operation switch section 19 may be of a joystick type instead of a flat type, or a four-way switch may be divided into four. Further, the bending operation switch section 19 may be not a four-way switch but a two-way switch for up and down.

The front end component 11 is provided with an objective optical system 20A and the solid-state image pickup device 21 shown in FIG. 3 at the rear end of the observation window.
The illumination optical system 22 and the like shown in FIG. 3 are provided. A signal cable is electrically connected to the solid-state imaging device 21, and the signal cable extends to the VP connector 16 via the amplifier 23. At the rear end of the illumination optical system 22, an emission end of a light guide fiber 24 made of a fiber bundle is arranged. The light guide fiber 24 extends to the light guide connector 14, and illumination light from a light distribution lamp 25 provided inside the light source device 3 is incident on the incident end of the light guide fiber 24. ing.

The bending portion 10 is formed adjacent to the rear end of the front end portion 11 so as to be free to be bent. A large number of bending pieces (not shown) are connected inside the bending portion 10 so as to be rotatable vertically and horizontally. A curved tube is provided. The number of bending pieces,
A vertical bending operation wire 27 and a left and right bending operation wire 28 shown in FIG. 3 are inserted therein, and the ends of the respective wires are fixed to a not-shown cutting-edge bending piece (not shown) provided in the front end portion 11. I have. These bending operation wires 27 and 28
Is inserted through the inside of the bending portion 10 and the inside of the flexible tube portion 9, and its rear end is wound around pulleys 29 and 31 in the operation portion 7, respectively.

The pulleys 29 and 31 are fixed to shafts 32a and 33a of, for example, DC motors 32 and 33 as electric bending driving means, respectively. And 31 will also be rotated.

When bending the bending portion 10 in the vertical direction, the motor 32 is driven. Due to the rotation of the pulley 29, one of the bent operation wires 27 is pulled, the other is relaxed, and the bending portion 1 is moved to the pulled side.
0 is curved.

When bending the bending portion 10 in the left-right direction, the motor 33 is driven. The pulley 31
With the rotation of the bending operation wire 28, one of the folded operation wires 28 is pulled, the other is relaxed, and the bending portion 10 is bent toward the pulled side.

Each of the bending drive DC motors 32 and 33
Has a shaft 32a on the opposite side to the pulleys 29 and 31,
Each of the shafts 32a, 33a has a rotary encoder 34, 35 attached thereto.
The amount of rotation of each of the DC motors 32 and 33 can be detected.

When the switch of the bending operation switch section 19 is pressed to enter the 0N state, the DC motors 32 and 33 are driven. At this time, the rotation amounts of the DC motors 32 and 33 are reduced by the rotary encoders 34 and 35. Is detected. The rotation amounts detected by the DC motors 32 and 33 are input to bending angle detection circuits 40 and 50, respectively. Since the amount of rotation corresponds to the amount of bending of the bending portion 10, each of the bending angle detection circuits 40 and 50 converts the input rotation amount into bending angle data of the bending portion 10, and sends the data to the control circuit 48. input.

The upper and lower bending switches U, D, and left,
The right bending switches L and R are connected to an input / output interface (hereinafter, referred to as an input / output interface) in the motor control device 6 for bending.
An 0N / OFF signal is input to the control circuit 48 via an I / O 51). Each contact on the I / O 51 side of each of the switches U, D, L, R is pulled up to a power supply terminal by a resistor via the signal line 47, and each of the switches U, D, L, R Each other contact is grounded. Each of the switches U, D, L, and R is turned on,
An "L" ON signal is output.

The control circuit 48 controls the forward / reverse rotation of the motor 32 via the I / O 51a and the driver 52, that is, controls the upward and downward bending, while controlling the forward / backward movement of the motor 33 via the I / O 51b and the driver 54. Reverse rotation, that is, control of left / right bending is performed. Drive currents for driving the motors 32 and 33 are detected by current detection circuits 57 and 58 via current probes 55 and 56, respectively, and output to the control circuit 48 via an A / D converter 59.

Under the control of the control circuit 48, the driver 52 supplies the motor 32 with, for example, positive power in the case of upward bending and, for example, negative power in the case of downward bending. The supplied power is converted into a current by a current detection circuit 57 via a current probe 55, A / D converted, and output to the control circuit 48. Further, under the control of the control circuit 48, the driver 54 supplies, for example, positive power to the motor 33 in the case of the leftward bending and, for example, negative power in the case of the rightward bending. The supplied power is converted into a current by a current detection circuit 58 via a current probe 56 and A / D converted, and then the control circuit 4
8 is output.

On the other hand, the storage unit 60 stores the bending angle detection circuit 4
A desired function is stored as a relationship between 0 (and 50) and the detection data of the current detection circuit 57 (and 58). Then, the curve angle detection circuit 40 (or 50) and the current detection circuit 57
If there is a gap of, for example, 50% or more between the detected data and the detected data (or 58), the control circuit 48
The increasing speed of the current supply to 2 (or 54) is made slow, and the bending speed of the bending portion 10 is made slow.

In this embodiment, the bending angle of the bending section 10 is determined by the control circuit 48 via the bending angle detection circuits 40 and 50.
On the other hand, the contact state between the bending portion 10 and the subject is detected by the current detection circuits 57 and 58 as power consumption. At a predetermined bending angle, the current consumption (or power consumption) of the motors 32 and 33 when the bending portion 10 is not in contact with the subject (when unnecessary load is not applied) is a predetermined predetermined value. Become.

However, if the bending portion 10 attempts to bend further while in contact with, for example, the mucous membrane of the subject, the bending portion 10 will bend against the reaction force from the mucous membrane. The current required to obtain the same bending angle is larger than when not. If the way in which the current increases becomes larger than the current value at the time of non-contact at a certain bending angle by a predetermined value or more, it indicates that the reaction force from the mucous membrane is considerably large, so carelessness is no longer necessary. It is dangerous to bend. In the present embodiment, data is stored in the storage unit 60 by setting a predetermined value which is a ratio between a current value at the time of non-contact at a certain bending angle and a current value at the time of contact at the same bending angle to, for example, 50%. The risk level is set to a value equal to or more than the predetermined value.

Therefore, when a situation where the predetermined value becomes 50% or more occurs, the electric bending endoscope device 1
By controlling the rate of increase of the current supply to each of the second and the third 33 to be slow, the movement of the bending section 10 can be slowed, and the bending operability and the patient's safety are ensured.

For example, when an endoscope is inserted in a clinical way such as the FOOKING THE FOLD method, in which the bending resistance must be large, the risk level should be set high and the narrow lumen should be inserted. For example, when it is desired to pass through an organ, the safety level and reliability can be enhanced by setting the risk level low.

In this embodiment, the bending operation switch unit 1
Numeral 9 is arranged so that the operator can operate the bending operation switch unit 19 with the thumb of the operator's hand when the operator grips the grip unit 20. Usually, the upward bending switch U of the bending operation switch section 19, which has the highest bending frequency, is arranged on the side closest to the thumb.

By the way, the operator tends to hold the operation unit 7 at his / her hand side and hold the insertion unit 8 vertically downward. Therefore, when bending upward, the operator does not extend his thumb and operates the switch U for upward bending. Can be pressed. Therefore, the operator is less likely to feel fatigue when applying a frequent upward bending, and the present embodiment can facilitate the bending operation.

The bending drive may be based on fluid pressure or SMA instead of the motor. Not only for medical use, but also for industrial endoscopes.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a bending mechanism inside the endoscope operation section 7. Hereinafter, a bending mechanism provided with a control device for preventing a sudden return to the straight state even when the bending state is changed from the bending state to the free state will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

In the operation section 7 of the endoscope, a plate-like main frame 62 and a sub-frame 63 are provided in parallel in the axial direction. A space 64 is formed between the main frame 62 and the main frame 63. The sub-frame 63 has a surface 65 opposite to the main frame 62.
A motor frame 67, to which a motor 66 is fixed, is slidably fitted in the axial direction of the operation unit 7 at one end of the operation unit 7. A motor shaft 68 of the motor 66 is provided so as to penetrate the motor frame 67 toward the main frame 62, and a drive gear 69 is attached to an end of the motor shaft 68.
Has been fixed.

On the other hand, the space 64 is provided with a fixed shaft 70 whose both ends are supported by the main and sub-frames 62 and 63. A driven gear 71 fixed around the fixed shaft 70 and a pulley 72 integrally formed with the driven gear 71 rotate. The driven gear 71 meshes with the drive gear 69. An angle wire 73 for bending the bending portion 11 is wound around the pulley 72, and is pushed and pulled as the pulley 72 rotates. Further, a leaf spring 74 is provided on the sub-frame side of the space 64, and one end thereof is fixed to the sub-frame 63 by, for example, a caulking pin 75.

As shown in FIG. 5, the leaf spring 74 is located on the driven gear 71, and the other end is located on the motor frame 67 side and is bent toward the motor frame 67 side. It has a bent portion 75. This leaf spring 74 is formed on a plane facing the driven gear 71,
A friction stationary member 77 is provided. The leaf spring 74 is made wider than in the illustrated example, and an elongated hole is provided at the center thereof in the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring 74, and the motor shaft 6 extends through the elongated hole.
8. If the fixed shaft 70 is arranged, the leaf spring 74
It does not prevent the movement of 8th magnitude. Therefore, as the leaf spring 74 becomes wider, the friction stationary member 77 can be made larger.

On the leaf spring 74 side of the motor frame 67, a leaf spring pressing member 78 is fixed. A slide lever 7 is provided on the motor 66 side of the motor frame 67.
9 is provided so as to extend to the outside of the casing 80 covering the operation unit 7. In the insertion portion, the motor frame 67 is moved by sliding the slide lever 79 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. , Drive gear 6
9 and the driven gear 71 are disengaged.

The casing 80 is provided with a window 81 for the slide amount of the slide lever 79, and regulates the slide amount of the slide lever 79.

In this configuration, when the bending portion 10 is bent, the motor shaft 68 of the motor 66 is rotated by operating a bending operation switch (not shown), and the drive gear 69 is rotated. Therefore, the drive gear 69
And the driven gear 71 meshing with
A pulley 72 integral with the gear 71 rotates. An angle wire 73 that is bent by pulling the bending portion 10 is wound around the pulley 72, and the bending portion 10 is bent by pulling the angle wire 73.

Here, for example, when the bending section 10 is to be removed from the human body as a subject and the bending section 10 is to be freed, the slide lever 79 may be slid.

As shown in FIG. 17, by sliding the slide lever 79, the motor frame 67 is moved.
Moves, resulting in the drive gear 69 and the driven gear
The engagement with the gear 71 is disengaged, and the bending portion 10 freely moves by an external force, that is, a so-called free state.

Here, at the same time, the leaf spring pressing member 78 provided on the motor frame 67 comes into contact with the bent portion 75 at the end of the leaf spring 74 by the movement of the motor frame 67, and follows the bending of the bent portion 75. , The leaf spring 74 is pushed in the direction in which the gear is located. The friction stationary member 77 on the gear-side surface of the leaf spring 74 comes into contact with the driven gear 71.

For this reason, the large rotational force of the driven gear 71 and the like generated by the inertial force is applied to the friction stationary member 77.
As a result, the wire is held down, rotates slowly, and stops at a position where the tension of the angle wire 73 is sufficiently reduced.

The control device of the present bending mechanism is safe because it does not suddenly return to the straight state even when the bending section 10 is changed from the bent state to the free state in the human body. Further, the present control device does not generate friction when bending, so that no extra power is required.

As shown in FIG. 5, the position of the leaf spring is
Any position may be used as long as friction is generated in the gear. Further, the motor may be provided in an external control device.

The bending mechanism shown in FIG. 8 includes a stop slide lever provided with a frictional static member and a slide plate, instead of the leaf spring 74 of the bending mechanism shown in FIGS. In addition, the same components and operations as those of the bending mechanism shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 8, the motor shaft 68 of the motor 66 extends to a position beyond the surface of the main frame 62A on the casing 80 side. This motor shaft 68
The drive gear 69 is fixed at a position where the drive gear 69 meshes with the driven gear 71.

One end of a slide plate 82 is fixed to the end of the motor shaft 68. The slide plate 82 is provided along the surface of the main frame 62A,
The other end is rotatably fixed to an end of a lever 83 described later.

The lever 83 is connected to the main frame 62A.
Are rotatably fixed around a lever fixed shaft 85 provided in a hole 84 provided in the hole. A bent portion 87 is provided on the space 64 side of the lever 83 so as to be bent substantially in parallel with the surface of the main frame 81.
A friction stationary member 86 is provided on a surface of the bent portion 87 facing the main frame 62A.

In this configuration, when the bending portion 10 is set in the free state, the motor frame 67 moves by sliding the slide lever 79, and as a result,
The drive gear 69 and the driven gear 71 are disengaged from each other, and the bending portion 10 is in a free state.

At this time, the slide plate 82 fixed to the end of the motor shaft 68 also moves with the motor shaft 68 at the same time. Then, a slide lever 83 rotatably fixed to the other end of the slide plate 82 is pulled. This lever 83
Is rotatably fixed to the main frame 62 </ b> A with the lever fixed shaft 85, and thus rotates around the lever fixed shaft 85. Thus, the friction stationary member 86 on the surface of the lever 83 on the main frame 62A side comes into contact with the angle wire 63.

For this reason, the tension generated by pulling the angle wire 63 is suddenly released and moves suddenly when the tension wire 63 is in the free state. Slow down slowly. Therefore, even if the bending lever 10 slides the slide lever 83, it does not suddenly return to the straight state but returns slowly. The other configuration and operation and effect are the same as those of the bending mechanism shown in FIGS.

The bending mechanism shown in FIG. 9 is different from the bending mechanism shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in that a switch and a solenoid are added while the leaf spring 74 is removed. In addition, the same components and operations as those of the bending mechanism shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

The casing 90 of the operation section 7 of the endoscope is provided with a window 81 from which the slide lever 79 projects. The window 81 is provided with a switch 91 on a surface opposite to the insertion portion 8. This switch 9
Numeral 1 comes into contact with the slide lever 79 when it is slid, and is turned on. This switch 9
From 1, a lead wire 92 is connected to the external control device 102 through the inside of the casing 90.

On the other hand, a solenoid 93 is provided on the sub-frame 63. Actuating shaft 9 of solenoid 93
The reference numeral 4 extends through the main frame 63 into the space 64. A plate 95 for a friction stationary member provided with a friction stationary member 96 is fixed to an end of the operation shaft 94. The friction stationary member 96 is
Is placed on top.

A lead wire 97 connected to the solenoid 93 is connected to the external control device 102 through a casing 90.

In the external control device 102, a lead wire 97 and a lead wire 92 form a circuit via a power supply 98. Here, in this circuit, the switch 91 is
In the N state, the operating shaft 94 of the solenoid 93 is connected to operate toward the main frame 62 (downward in the figure).

With this configuration, when the bending portion 10 is set in the free state, the motor frame 67 is moved by sliding the slide lever 79, and as a result, the drive gear 69 and the driven gear 71 mesh with each other. Off,
The bending portion 10 enters a free state.

At this time, at the same time, the slide lever 79
Turns on the switch 91 installed in the casing 90
State. Thereby, the operating shaft 94 of the solenoid 93
Moves to the main frame 62 side. The friction stationary member 96 provided at the end of the operating shaft 94 is
Contact Therefore, the angle wire 73 moves slowly, and therefore, the bending portion 10 also slowly returns to the straight state.

[0071]

According to the electric bending endoscope apparatus of the present invention, the bending operation can be easily performed by arranging the bending instruction input means in consideration of ergonomics.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an arrangement and use of a bending switch in an endoscope operation unit according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a bending operation switch.

FIG. 3 is a bending mechanism and an electric block diagram of the electric bending endoscope apparatus.

FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram of an electric bending type endoscope apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a part of a control device in the electric bending mechanism.

FIG. 6 is an endoscope sectional view showing a control device in the electric bending mechanism.

7 is an endoscope sectional view for explaining the operation of the device shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an endoscope sectional view showing another example of the control device in the electric bending mechanism.

FIG. 9 is an endoscope sectional view showing still another example of a control device in the electric bending mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electric bending type endoscope apparatus 2 ... Endoscope 7 ... Operation part 8 ... Insertion part 10 ... Bending part 12 ... Universal cable 19 ... Bending operation switch part 20 ... Grip part U, D, L, R ... Switch

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 1/00-1/32 G02B 23/24 Practical file (PATOLIS) Patent file (PATOLIS)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An endoscope having an insertion portion that can be inserted into a subject, a bending portion that can be bent in a plurality of bending directions, and an operation portion that is connected to the insertion portion. A monitor for displaying an image of an endoscope, a bending drive unit for bending the bending unit, and a bending instruction input unit for giving an instruction for bending the bending unit in a plurality of bending directions to the bending driving unit. In the electric bending type endoscope apparatus, the bending instruction input means is disposed on the operation unit.
Is, consists of four switches arranged in a cross shape configured such that it gives the instruction by the endoscope operator respective surfaces of these four switches is pressed, the insertion portion
When the operation unit is gripped with the
By pressing the lower switch of the three switches, the bending portion bends and presses the upper switch so that the image displayed on the monitor is bent upward.
This allows the image displayed on the monitor to
An electric endoscope apparatus , wherein the bending portion performs a bending operation so as to be bent .